


Party Doll

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, F/M, Holidays, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-29
Updated: 2013-12-29
Packaged: 2018-01-06 13:44:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1107549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“If anyone kisses me, they're fired.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Party Doll

The music was vibrating in her ears. Erin did her best to push it out but knew that wouldn’t be easy. Almost one hundred people were partying three floors down. They deserved it; the BAU had a rough year. 

Her agents and civilians came out swinging but there were a few cases that left them pounded in the dirt. Her contentious relationship with the Unit Chief and the Senior SSA didn’t make things much better. Erin knew there had been some push to try and get along. Still, the faster Hotch and the gang just accepted that she was the final word on matters, the smoother things would be. 

Constantly working against her just because she was Strauss would leave them both at zero. The Bureau saw both she and Aaron as valuable assets…neither one was going anywhere for the time being. Erin just wanted to start 2009 with no more gray hairs or stress-induced heartburn. They would all have to work as a team to make that happen.

She wasn’t going to make an appearance at their holiday party. She loved Christmas but mostly because she finally had time to spend with her children and mother. She loved the sounds, scents, and sights of the whole season. Erin would sing the songs under her breath in the office and aloud in her car. She did her best not to go overboard on presents but everything about the season made her joyful. 

There was the other side too; many people were depressed during the holidays. Erin wasn’t immune to those feelings. Another year was ending. Resolutions were broken and goals unattained. It was difficult to face the quickly approaching New Year knowing there were still issues right in front of you. Erin was doing just that when the Deputy Director of the FBI came into her office.

“There's a party downstairs.” Kirk Douglas’ tone was jovial. His countenance was as well.

“I know…I just signed off on the exorbitant budget.”

“And yet you sit up here working. You should be down there spending the Bureau’s hard earned money. I've known you for a long time; you love this time of year.”

“I'm just so busy.” Erin said. “I'm going to be off for over a week. The last thing I want or need is for more to pile up on top of what's already here. You know it all has to be turned in for review on January 15tht.”

“I want you to go down there for just one hour and breathe, Erin. Boss’s orders.”

“I'm breathing just fine up here.”

“SSA Strauss…”

She didn’t want to say that no one down there liked her and she refused to be subjected to hate just a few days before Christmas. It made her sound like the girl who sat in the front of the class with her hand raised while the cooler kids made faces behind her. Of course, she had been that girl. Erin was too old to be bitter about such things. She had more important obstacles to conquer.

“Get up from your desk and go.” Kirk said. “There is lots of food, music, and good cheer. I'm about to do another once around. We can go together.”

“Isn’t this your third?” Erin asked. She managed a small smile as she signed off on the jet fuel budget. They were spending too much money. The powers that be would never let her get away with this next year. Anyone could use good cheer after looking at those numbers.

“It’s only my second.” He held out his hand. “C'mon.”

Erin sighed, putting down her pen. She stood from the chair and smoothed out her Armani slacks. Kirk was patient while she checked her makeup. She also brushed and fluffed her hair before slipping out of her comfortable loafers and into work pumps.

“You look beautiful.” The Deputy Director said. “Be careful down there…there are roving men with mistletoe.”

“If anyone kisses me, they're fired.” This time Erin couldn’t suppress her grin. She and Kirk walked down to the elevator, pushing the button. Erin stepped on as soon as the doors opened. She looked up and sucked her teeth. “Oh for Pete’s sake; it’s everywhere.”

Kirk checked his breath, which made Erin laugh. He leaned and kissed her on the cheek. She gave his shoulder a friendly squeeze. Erin had faked it through enough things in her life. The BAU Christmas party would just be another to add to the list.

***

Erin stayed for a little over an hour. The music was infectious. The food was delicious and the atmosphere relaxed. No one approached her with mistletoe, for which Erin was grateful. Agent Anderson made sure that the Section Chief had a goodie stocking. E. Strauss was written on it in cursive. 

Jennifer Jareau gave her a number and Erin pulled a gift from the gift box. There weren’t many people to chat with; Kirk floated away like the social butterfly he’d always been. Penelope Garcia and her friend Kevin Lynch were lively and kind. Derek Morgan managed a cordial Merry Christmas, and so did Aaron Hotchner. Emily Prentiss kept her distance as always. 

Erin wasn’t going to step on that landmine anytime in the near future. She didn’t see David Rossi at all. As she made her way back to the elevator, Elton John’s _Step into Christmas_ was stuck in her head. It would probably be the New Year before she got it out. The happy singing of agents was right behind it.

The Section Chief’s floor was practically dark. Humming to herself, Erin walked to her office. Her assistant, who was down at the party, must’ve come back up and shut everything down. It looked as if the janitors had come through as well. Erin walked into her outer office and turned on a lamp. Then she stepped into her office.

“Hey there.”

“Oh shit!” Erin covered her mouth with her hand to muffle her scream. Her stocking fell to the floor, candy and little treats scattering on the floor. “Dammit David!”

“I didn’t mean to scare you.” Dave reached and turned on the desk lamp. He crouched down to help her pick up the stocking and its contents.

“You're sitting in the dark, in an office that isn’t yours, and then you speak but you didn’t mean to scare me. OK.”

Erin stood. She walked to her desk, putting down the stocking and the gift. She went into the bottom drawer for her purse. It was time to go home. Erin had no idea what Dave wanted but he would have to make it quick. Telling him so would get the conversation off to a worse start than he already had.

“It’s time to go.” She said. “It’s been a long day. I thought you'd be at the party.”

“I was but then I had something to do. I didn’t think you were going.”

“Boss’s orders.” Erin got her coat from the rack. She put on her scarf and hat before slipping into her wool swing coat. “Have a nice Christmas, Agent Rossi.”

“Wait, I want to give you your gift.” Dave said.

“What?” Erin was now in her outer office. She turned around.

“I bought you a gift.” Dave held out the bag.

“Why?” she walked back into her office.

“It’s Christmas.”

“I know but…”

“Please open the gift, Erin.”

She took the bag, putting it on the desk. The top was filled with tissue paper; Erin took some out and pushed the rest to the side. She pulled out the white box. When she looked at Dave there was skepticism in her blue eyes. It wasn’t large enough to be a Jack in the Box or something was going to jump out and give her a heart attack. Taking a deep breath, she took off the top.

“What is this?” she held the bracelet in the palm of her hand.

“It’s a bracelet.” He replied.

“I see it’s a bracelet, David. Why are you giving me a bracelet?”

“As soon as I saw it I thought of you. I knew you'd know exactly how to wear it.”

It was antique silver and black opal. The opal nearly looked iridescent, with flecks of the dim lights glowing like fire in the stone. Erin had no idea what to say. She just looked at Dave, at the bracelet, and back at Dave again.

“I really need to go.” She put the bracelet back in the box and then the gift bag. “I hope you have a merry Christmas.”

Dave walked up to her. It seemed as if Erin didn’t want to look him in the eye but she never backed away from a challenge. There was defiance in her blue eyes, always. Dave also thought he saw a flicker of something else but the room was dark so he couldn’t be sure. He leaned to kiss her lips, the scent of Estee Lauder’s Pleasures filling his senses.

“Merry Christmas, Erin.” He whispered.

“I didn’t get you anything…I wasn’t expecting this.”

“You’ve given me everything I need.”

“You're being cryptic, David.”

“Goodnight.”

He walked out of the office. Erin wanted to chase him down, get the last word, but she surely didn’t know what to say. It seemed ridiculous to be mad at him after such a beautiful present. Erin thought he might have done it to knock her off her game. He was a multi-millionaire; didn’t care about dropping a few hundred on a bauble just to make a woman speechless. 

But who bought presents for someone they disliked? She shook her head, unsure if she would ever truly understand the man, his motives, or how it made her feel. Erin put the jewelry box inside her stocking and left the office herself. At least _Step into Christmas_ wasn’t stuck in her head anymore. What was would still leave her with a headache.

***


End file.
